


Need-to-Know Basis

by tethrasing



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 15:48:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16558646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tethrasing/pseuds/tethrasing
Summary: Ever since arriving in Defiance Bay, Edér felt like Brianna had been treating him differently. Avoiding being alone with him, spending less time talking to him…could be his imagination, he reasoned, but despite what others liked to say, Edér wasn’t a stupid man. He wasn’t rightly sure what the cause was, but he knew something was going on.





	Need-to-Know Basis

Edér stood near the fireplace, slowly smoking his pipe. The Watcher and her companions were spending the night at The Goose and Fox in Defiance Bay. Hirvarias, Sagani, and Kana were seated a few tables to his left in a heated discussion about something Edér couldn’t hear over the din in the common area. To his right, at a table in the corner, Aloth and Brianna seemed to be…not arguing, but disagreeing about something.

 

And Edér had a hunch that something had to do with him.

 

Ever since arriving in Defiance Bay, Edér felt like Brianna had been treating him differently. Avoiding being alone with him, spending less time talking to him…could be his imagination, he reasoned, but despite what others liked to say, Edér wasn’t a stupid man. He wasn’t rightly sure what the cause was, but he knew something was going on.

 

He and Brianna hadn’t known each other long, but he knew her well enough to know that pressing the matter would only push her away. Still, it gnawed at him that whatever it was, she apparently could discuss it with Aloth, but not with him.

 

He glanced at the pair. The noise in the tavern was still too loud for Edér to make out what they were saying, but he could see them well enough. Brianna looked anxiously at Aloth as she spoke, pushing her hair behind one ear in a familiar tic that Edér recognized as a sign of anxiety for her. Aloth looked down at his clasped hands before replying calmly, but determinedly. Whatever the elf said seemed to sway Brianna because she took a deep breath and stood, scanning the tavern. Aloth stood as well, moving to join the rest of their party.

 

Edér quickly looked to the fire, bringing his pipe to his mouth. A few moments later, he could see Brianna in his peripheral view, standing to his right. Looking over at her, he could tell she was nervous; fidgeting, having trouble keeping eye contact…but she was here and he appreciated that.

 

“Hey, Edér,” Brianna said with a small smile.

 

“Hey,” Edér said gently, trying to keep her at ease, “Somethin’ I can do for ya?”

 

Brianna started playing with a loose thread on the hem of her shirt, “I was…wondering if we could talk? There’s something I need to tell you.”

 

“’Course, what’s on yer mind?” Edér asked casually, even though there was a part of him that was dying to know what was going on.

 

“Well, I…I’m not really sure where to start…” Brianna seemed at a loss for words.

 

Eder said, “Why don’t we sit down. Make ourselves more comfortable.”

 

Brianna flashed him a thankful smile. Edér put his pipe away and the two made their way to the table that Brianna had previously been sitting at with Aloth.

 

Brianna ran her hands down her face before she began, “I guess the best place to start is with the big thing I’ve been hiding,” she looked Eder in the eye, “you’ve never asked where I’m from. How come?”

 

Edér shrugged, “Never came up really. Didn’t seem important. And I figured you’d tell me if you wanted to.”

 

Brianna grimaced. “Well, there’s a reason it never came up. I made sure it didn’t. I’m…I’m from Readceras, Edér.”

 

Brianna seemed to hold her breath after her admission, while Edér just sat there. After a moment, Edér realized the Watcher was looking for a response.

 

“Alright,” he said.

 

“…alright? Is that it?!” Brianna said, a little too loudly. Some of the other patrons glanced over at their table.

 

Edér nodded, “Mhm. Alright.”

 

Brianna let out a deep sigh. “Aloth was right, I was so certain you would be upset, but he kept insisting you wouldn’t care and I guess I just blew it up into this big thing when it didn’t need to be and-“ Brianna said in a rush until Edér cut her off.

 

“I get it, you were thinkin’ I wouldn’t like you because of the Saints War. But I’m not big on holdin’ grudges. Thought you knew me better than that,” Edér said with a smile, “’Sides, you’re way too young to have actually fought in the war.”

 

Brianna let out another breath, “You’re right, on all accounts. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, Edér. It’s not that I didn’t trust you, it’s just…I’m used to not telling people. Telling anyone, about where I’m from.”

 

At that, Edér’s eyebrows knit together with concern. “Got a good reason for that, I’m bettin’,” he prompts.

 

Brianna looked down at her lap, silent for a few moments. When she looked up at Edér again, he realized her eyes are full of unshed tears, “Sorry, it’s…hard to talk about. I…”

 

“We don’t hafta talk about it if it’s too much,” Edér said, placing his hand lightly on Brianna’s forearm.

 

She smiled at him, blinking away a few tears before she said, “No, no…you’ll understand in a minute. You need to know.”

 

“Alright, then,” Edér said as he pulled his hand back to give Brianna space, “Take your time, I ain’t goin’ anywhere.”

 

Brianna took a deep breath and began her story. “Back in Readceras, both of my parents were healers. Talented ones, respected in the city we lived in. During the Saints War, they didn’t participate. That got them in some trouble, but they had enough clout that they survived the storm. I was too young at the time to understand what was happening. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I _really_ got it. How much danger we were in from the people who were still bitter about what happened to Waidwen.”

 

Brianna tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and continued, “It was like in Gilded Vale, people remembered the war like it was yesterday. They remembered who was on what side and who fought and who didn’t. And then a year ago, suddenly, my parent’s standing in the community wasn’t enough anymore. I was at our house when…a mob set fire to my parent’s clinic while they were working. My parents…they didn’t make it.”

 

Outwardly, Edér didn’t react while Brianna recounted her tale. On the inside, his emotions were a maelstrom. _Guess it doesn’t matter where you are_ , he thought, _Dyrwood or Readceras_. _People are people._

“A friend got word to me what had happened and I fled the city. Never looked back. And that’s how I ended up in Dyrwood, needed a place to settle. To hide, really,” Brianna said, “I was doing a pretty good job of it, too, until Aloth and I went to investigate the Dozens when we arrived in Defiance Bay and found out someone in Readceras put a massive bounty on my head.”

 

Edér’s raised his eyebrows. “How much?” he asked.

 

Brianna smirked, “7,000 copper. Someone really wants me dead.”

 

Edér let out a low whistle. He shut his eyes for a moment to gather his thoughts. When he opened them, he said, “I’m real sorry about your folks, Brianna. That ain’t right, what happened to them. And for someone to go after you, too…if there’s anything I can do, you jus’ let me know-“

 

Before he could finish, Brianna moved out of her chair and gently wrapped her arms around Edér’s neck. Edér smiled fondly and brought his arms up to rest on Brianna’s back.

 

“Thank you,” she whispered.

 

This was the first time he’d been this close to the Watcher and Edér couldn’t help but notice a few things about her. Brianna smelled of the lavender soap she always carried with her and the leather of her armor. She was smaller than he was, but her arms and back were muscled from years of archery. When she pulled away, her eyes were once again watery, but this time there was a small smile on her face.

 

_Eothas, protect this one_ , Edér prayed silently. _And if you can’t, I’m goin’ to do everything in my power to make sure she doesn’t come to harm._


End file.
